The principal duty is also the most pleasurable one: it is to give thanks to those who have helped in the process of writing. I have learned so much from my friends and collaborators Stephen Gaukroger (Sydney and Aberdeen universities) and Ian Hunter (University of Queensland) that this is in a sense as much theirs as they wish to own. We were generously supported by the Australian Research Council, and my work has been further aided by The Network of Early Modern Research, not least for putting EEBO on my desk. Peter Cryle and The Centre for the History of European Discourses (University of Queensland) have provided an always stimulating and friendly environment, travel support and incitement to talk about my work. Ethan Shagan at the Center for British Studies (Berkeley) generously invited me to give a seminar on one aspect of this work, in which its rough and ready state was greatly improved in discussion, in particular with Kinch Hoekstra (Berkeley). Similarly my thanks are due to Robert von Friedeberg and Jan Woszink of the Erasmus Centre for Early Modern History, University of Rotterdam. Themes from this work have also been aired at Humour Network symposia and at the conferences held by The Australian and New Zealand Association for Medieval and Early Modern Studies. On all occasions my thanks are due for hospitality, collegiality and the chance to learn.

Others who in various ways have helped are Michael Bennett (University of Tasmania); Jessica Milner Davis (Sydney and the Humour Studies Network); Michael Hunter (Birkbeck, London); David Martin Jones (Queensland); Shannon Stimson, (Berkeley); and Richard Serjeantson (Trinity College, Cambridge). All in the best fashion have provided friendship, advice, information and insight. Additionally Justin Champion (London) and Dmitri Levitin (Trinity College, Cambridge) have kindly let me see valuable work ahead of its publication.